10 Gift Ideas for a Military Vet
There’s never a bad time to buy someone you care about a gift. This is especially true if that someone is a military veteran.
There’s never a bad time to buy someone you care about a gift. This is especially true if that someone is a military veteran.
The Department of Defense is taking a hard look at sexual harassment and assault in the military. One initiative included in the multi-pronged approach is a 90-day investigation conducted by an Independent Review Commission regarding the ways in which the DoD prevents and responds to sexual assault.
While the concern surrounding sexual assault in the military isn’t new, current initiatives have been unsuccessful in their efforts to prevent it. An estimated 20,000 men and women were sexually assaulted in the U.S. military last year, which is on par with sexual assault reports in previous years.
The Commission has been tasked with using information uncovered during their investigation to generate recommendations on four priority issues related to sexual assault in the military: accountability, prevention, climate and culture, care and support.
The IRC is comprised of a Chair and twelve subject matter experts, including current and retired military members. Their goal is to provide a holistic view of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military as well as the government’s response to it.
Currently, the Commission is seeking feedback about the services provided by a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, victim advocate or other staff member. Their multi-stakeholder, cross-disciplinary approach involves discussion groups at military installations around the world as well as an anonymous feedback submission form online.
Initial recommendations were made at the beginning of May, and the Commission continues to gather information and follow additional lines of effort. Official recommendations are expected to be presented to the Department of Defense in late June.
To make a first time report of sexual assault in the military, contact the DoD’s Safe Helpline via online chat, phone, or the Safe Helpline app.
Military Connection’s greatest movies about the American Civil War – War Movies by Era Series
Military Friendly® is operated by VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business. The Military Friendly® council advocates for service members, veterans, and their families by providing feedback on current military-connected initiatives as well as collecting and curating important information relevant to military families.
The Military Friendly® ratings program was started in 2003 to encourage civilian organizations to invest in veterans. Over the past decade and a half, the council has created annual surveys to find and rank Military Friendly® Employers, Brands, Companies, Schools, and even Military Spouse Friendly® Employers.
Each year, Military Friendly® determines the best of the best via a combination of publicly available data, survey responses from the companies, and survey responses from veterans. Data is aggregated and to maintain integrity, results are audited by Ernst and Young before publication.
It’s no secret that finding and securing work as a military spouse can be challenging, which is why we love that military spouses are considered by the counsel as they research and compile their Military Friendly® lists. The list of Military Spouse Friendly® Employers for 2021 includes 95 employers from a variety of industries such as retail, finance, health care, and so much more.
The list is long! Here’s a peek at 2021’s top three Military Spouse Friendly® Employers.
Combined Insurance. A leading provider of supplemental insurance, Combined Insurance understands that military spouses need flexible, often portable career opportunities. They partner with the Military Spouse Employment Partnership to help make those careers available.
Zeiders Enterprises. Zeiders is a veteran-owned company that provides solutions to improve the quality of life of military-connected families. Their employment opportunities allow military spouses to maintain their military lifestyle and pursue professional goals by offering telecommuting options as well as positions around the world.
PanFed Credit Union. This credit union created a Military Employment program which helps them actively seek military spouses interested in joining their team.
If you or a military spouse you know is considering a career change, check out the full list of Military Spouse Friendly® Employers to see which companies in each industry made the cut.
Exciting post-deployment career options for tech-savvy veterans.
The VA provides Veteran disability benefits and compensation based on an individual’s disability rating. The higher the disability rating – the level at which a service-connected injury or illness is considered to be disabling to the Veteran – the greater the benefits available to that Veteran.
In some circumstances, however, injuries or illnesses can lead to additional out of pocket costs or unemployability without rendering the Veteran completely disabled based on the VA’s disability rating scale. Veteran disability Special Claims benefits are available in many of these circumstances and include:
Automobile allowance and adaptive equipment – if your disability prevents you from driving, you may be eligible for funding to modify an existing vehicle or purchase a new vehicle specially equipped to meet your needs.
Birth defects linked to Agent Orange – if you were exposed to toxic chemicals while serving in East Asia and your child has spina bifida or other birth defects, you may be eligible for disability benefits.
Clothing Allowance – at times, clothing can be damaged by prosthetic or orthopedic devices. If you have a service-connected disability requiring the use of devices or medication which damage clothing, help to purchase new clothes may be available.
Convalescence – temporary disability payments may be available while you recover from treatment or surgery.
Dental Care – dental care is available to many veterans via the VA.
Time in Hospital – when disability requires you to spend time in a hospital, you may be eligible for increased disability payments for that period from the VA.
Individual Unemployability – if you’re not considered totally disabled by the VA disability rating scale but are unable to work due to your service-connected disability, Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) may apply. In this case you’d receive disability compensation at the same rate as a Veteran with a 100% disability rating.
Prestabilization – this benefit offers quick, temporary disability compensation to transitioning Veterans with service-connected disabilities.
For more information on Veteran disability Special Claims benefits available through the VA, visit https://va.gov/disability/eligibility/specialclaims.
4 soft skills you can develop in the military and how the translate to your future civilian career
Founded by a group of Veterans in Kansas City, MO, the Veterans Community Project (VCP) aims to end veteran homelessness by serving in a way nobody else has. The VCP tiny home project established a village of 49 tiny homes for homeless Veterans. Most VCP tiny houses are about 240 square feet, and all are available for free to homeless Veterans regardless of discharge status or VA eligibility. Every detail of these homes is designed with Veteran needs in mind, down to the specific placement of doors and windows to increase a sense of security for those living with PTSD.
The VCP Village isn’t just a group of tiny houses for the homeless community. The houses surround a central community center which provides a long list of services for Veterans living both on- and off-site. This could be anything from help setting up a smart phone for easier communication with the VA all the way to securing emergency financial assistance. What’s more, if a Veteran has a need that can’t be addressed in-house, VCP has established a network of outside resources to which they can refer.
The Case Managers and Counsellors at VCP recognize that every Veteran has a unique story and that a one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t cut it. Staff meets with each resident on a regular basis to ensure that the underlying cause of their homelessness is thoroughly addressed and that they receive the tools needed to return to stable independent life when the time comes.
While there is no limit to the amount of time a resident can live on-site, on average, VCP homeless Veterans stay approximately 8-10 months before they are ready to take the next step. Once the goals of a Veteran’s individual plan are met, VCP assists that Vet in finding a permanent housing solution and continues to provide case management services for a year.
VCP Kansas City has served more than 4,100 at risk Veterans and transitioned more than 40 Vets from the tiny home community to permanent living since 2018. Today, they are expanding their program with more tiny homes for veterans. VCP Villages are under construction in St. Louis, MO and Longmont, CO.
Visit the VCP website to learn more, inquire about services, or get involved.
Armed Forces Day wraps up Armed Forces Week every year. The day or remembrance was conceptualized and created in 1949 as a way to honor our current U.S. service men and women.
Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May each year. This year it falls on May 15th.
Armed Forces Day was actually intended to replace the days which honor individual branches of the Military after they were all consolidated under the Department of Defense. However, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard days are all still observed, mostly from within the respective service branches.
The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated on May 20, 1950, and its theme was “Teamed for Defense,” which was chosen to mark the unification of all military forces under a single department. It was also intended to be a day of education for civilians, which the DoD hoped would increase awareness of the sacrifice put forth by U.S. Military personnel.
It’s important to remember that many of the service members we celebrate on Armed Forces Day are currently deployed or otherwise serving in the line of duty. This day is so much more than parades and hashtags. But, in an effort to express the high esteem in which we hold our members of the Armed Forces, events take place across the country to honor them. Depending on your location you may find celebrations ranging from air shows, to open houses, to movie marathons on cable television.
You can learn more about Armed Forces Day, it’s history, and view Armed Forces Day photos dating to 1950 by visiting https://afd.defense.gov.
16 historical forts to visit in the U.S. South.
